14 Jan, 2019 Over the past several years, as consumers become increasingly educated about food allergies, autoimmune disease, and preventative health, almost every type of product in the grocery store has been going through a makeover to align with this awareness.
The cereal aisle has always been divided between unhealthy, sugar-filled cereals marketed to kids, and healthier brands that market to adults who want to start their day with a healthy breakfast.
This evolution in the cereal aisle continues with this new line of “Hi! Happy Inside” cereal products by Kellogg’s. These cereals promote gut health to consumers who may have digestive issues or simply want more fiber and probiotics in their diet. With recent studies showing the positive effects of fiber and healthy gut bacteria on health, it makes sense that Kellogg’s would develop these products. After all, consumers already look to cereal brands for their daily fiber intake. And many people already consume yogurt at the start of their day to get a healthy dose of probiotics.
The Hi! Happy Inside product line includes three flavor varieties: Bold Blueberry, Coconut Crunch and Simply Strawberry. Of course, consumers can enjoy these items with any kind of dairy or plant-based milk. Or they can mix these granola style blends with yogurt to increase their probiotic intake even more. These cereals could even serve as a standalone trail mix snack to eat throughout the day, whether at the office or during a hike in the mountains.
With bits of dried fruit and yogurt mixed with the whole grains, it is easy to see why today’s convenience-minded shoppers would gravitate towards Kellogg’s new Hi! Happy Inside cereal range.
With these new products, Kellogg’s positions the inclusion of prebiotics, probiotics, and fiber as a “3-in-1” approach that helps consumers quickly understand how these components contribute to digestion and overall health. Prebiotics feed probiotics, which result in healthy bacteria growth in the gut, while fiber is essential for healthy digestion, lowers cholesterol, and helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels. According to Kellogg’s website, just one bowl of their cereal can give adults 44 percent of their daily fiber intake.
The packaging falls in line with the direction newer, healthier brands of cereals that use pouch packaging, instead of the traditional cardboard boxes that were staples of cereal products. To feed consumers’ need for information that is quick and easy-to-read, they opt for a simple design with a limited color pallet.
This helps shoppers quickly see the nutrition and allergen information that is important to them. Whether you want to know the nutrition facts, ingredients, non-GMO status, or allergen information, you won’t have to search long to find it.
The introduction of this probiotic and fiber-rich line of cereals was a good move, considering the growth in the probiotic supplement market in recent years. Today’s consumers are already hooked on probiotic infused drinks and food, including kombucha, yogurt, sauerkraut, tempeh, and certain types of cheese. It will not be surprising if more cereal companies follow suit and reformulate their existing fiber-rich cereals to include pre- and probiotics, or create entirely new product lines to compete for the same shoppers. This also offers an opportunity for smaller food companies, who are sometimes quicker to adapt to market trends. It will also be interesting to see other ways food companies integrate probiotics into other types of products as this trend continues to evolve.
